Hello Again . . .

Hello Friends!

It has been 6 months since my last check in – How did that happen?  It might have something to do with this –

Yes, that is a stack of new quilts that I have been working!  And it seems whenever I am working on making the quilts for a new book and doing all the writing,  I have little time for anything else or can’t really show anything that I have been working on.  So, over the next couple weeks before Quilt Market, I’m going to do a few posts that share the new quilts.

I always work around a theme for my books and for this one, I am working around Precuts.  I know that’s nothing new, but I continue to collect them and then when I want to use them, I get out all my books and starting trying to find a pattern written for the Precut that I want to use.   That process led me to the thought that it would be nice to have one book that had a couple patterns for each Precut in my stash – kind of a one stop shop, so to speak.  In addition to using Precuts, I wanted the patterns to be fairly quick and simple and versatile enough to work for many occasions.    Those thoughts led to the name “Simple Treasures”, with the tag line – “A Quilt for Every Precut in your Stash”.  See the front cover below –

And here is the back cover:

 

There are a bunch of the quilts that I can’t share yet because the fabrics line haven’t been introduced yet, so I will start with the quilts that I can share.  First up, is the cover quilt Hexi Cabin.  Precut used:  2 1/2″ strips

This is the first quilt that I designed for the book and I had a lot of fun making it.  You all know that I love 60-degree angles and using the Creative Grids 60-degree triangle ruler.  This block combines those things with my love of log cabin blocks.  I use the lob cabin idea, combined with the partial seam technique (which is very easy), to set the hexagon into the middle of the block without any Y-seams.

 

I also like the unique layout of the quilt, which provides the opportunity to add a touch of applique and some fun machine quilting.

 

I really had a lot of fun quilting this quilt.  I used this batting to make sure that the quilting really showed!

 

As I was working on this twin size quilt, I kept picturing a smaller version that could be used as a wall quilt, throw, or on a toddler bed.  For this version, I only did one round on the log cabin block and scaled down the applique.

 

These fabrics are from the collection “In the Meadow” by Keera Job for Riley Blake designs.

 

I had fun quilting this one too – Doesn’t the echo and filler really make everything pop?

 

I also did a runner version – because why stop at only two size options?

 

And here are all 3 version together.

 

Next up, is the Stashbuster Log Cabin quilt.  I already mentioned my love of log cabin quilts, but a while back I saw some wrapping paper that had a log cabin looking block with staggered “sashing”.  I hung that scrap of wrapping paper on my bulletin board with the intention of someday turning it into a quilt.  The result is this quilt using several different strip sizes, lots of prints, a modern feel to the layout and several different block designs  (There are 5 different blocks designs in the quilt).

 

I mainly used 2 1/2″ strips for the blocks, but I also used some 1 1/2″ and 1″ strips.  The pattern also gives an option for using Fat Quarters and Fat Eighths.  For the cream sashing, I dug in to my stash of low volume prints – many of them being leftovers from all the the quilts that I have made with cream or white backgrounds.  I cut them all into strips and mixed them in throughout the quilt.  I love looking at the quilt and remembering all of the fun things that I made with those prints!  With the colored prints, there are probably 100 of my favorite fabrics in the quilt.

 

When I didn’t have enough of a strip left to complete a full round on the block, I just used two different prints.  See the block in the upper left hand corner of the photo below.  This is how some of the blocks in the wrapping paper inspiration were done, and it was a great way to use up the strips.

 

The quilt was great fun to make and it would be fun to do again in a few years with my next batch of scraps or assorted strips.

 

Another quilt in the book that uses 2 1/2″ strips is the Jewel Box quilt.

 

The block is very simple to make, with a little “jewel” connecting the blocks.

 

This patterns also comes in lots of sizes.  Since I made the smaller size quilt, I had strips leftover from my blocks, so I used them to make a scrappy binding.  This fabric is from the “Well Said” collection by Sandy Gervais for Moda fabrics.

 

You could also use the leftovers to make the table runner size option.  (This block is also 5″ square friendly)

 

This runner is made using the fabric line “Serenade” by Cindi Walker for Riley Blake.

 

Next up, is the back cover quilt – Easy Peasy Plaid.  It also uses 2 1/2″ strips, but you can  use Fat Eighths too.  The pattern comes in 5 or 6 sizes, is super easy and really quick to make!

 

The fabrics are from the “Way Up North” collection by Zippyboro for Riley Blake.

 

I just love these vintage prints!

 

In addition to these fun fabrics, it was also fun to have my boys in a photo again.  They are now 4 and 6. . . .

 

and will smile and pose for candy canes!

 

Speaking of boys, they helped out with a few photos this time around, though they didn’t all make the book – like this picture where the younger one didn’t want to pose but kept darting in and out of the photo!

 

This photo was taken in front of our neighbor’s zinnia field.  While we were shooting the photo, one of the neighbors drove by and asked “Are those children being exploited for marketing purposes?”  Why yes they are!

 

This quilt was inspired by a Fat Quarter bundle that has been sitting on my shelf for years (it was one of Anna Maria Horner’s first fabric lines) and by one of my all-time favorite books -“The Secret Life of Bees.”  In that book, they talk about what amazing mathematicians bees are.  They can make perfect 60-degree angles without the use of any tools.  It really is an amazing fact – How do they do it?  I am not as talented – I require that handy 60-degree ruler that I mentioned early to make my honeycomb patterns!  Thus, this pattern is called Honeycomb and is meant to show off a fabric collection that includes large florals that you want to display in a “honeycomb” frame.

 

And don’t let the binding on this one scare you, I have an easy tutorial for that.

 

That is a lot of photos, so I better stop for today.  I will continue with the preview in my next post.  Thanks for stopping by again after my long hiatus!  Please leave a comment and let me know that you are still here  ( I always like to hear which quilt you would make first ;-))

Click here if you are interested in purchasing a book.  You can also ask your local quilt shop to bring it in for you.  We always appreciate our readers that support us and the quilt shops that carry our products!